Elevation markers



y 15, 1967 A. LUTCH ELEVATION MARKERS Filed Oct. 15, 1964 pagan H H MINVENTOR g Anthony Lutch flaw w United States Patent 3,319,391 ELEVATIONMARKERS Anthony Lutch, 284 Glass Run Road, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15207 FiledOct. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 404,096 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-371) This inventionrelates to elevation markers and particularly to an elevation marker forfoundation anchor bolts.

After a concrete pier is formed, an anchor bolt to receive a steelcolumn or I beam is placed in the pier in an upright position. After thepier hardens, a transit instrument sights an elevation point to theanchor bolt. This elevation point is where the bottom of the I beam isto rest. Generally the elevation point is marked on the anchor bolt. Insighting the elevation point, an elevation rod is lowered until thecorrect elevation is read on the transit instrument. A nail is driveninto the pier and next to the anchor bolt. The rod rests on the nailwhich is driven into the concrete pier until the correct elevation isread onthe rod. The height of the nail marks the elevation point towhich grout is filled from the top of the pier. A wood form is builtaround the pier to insure that the grout fill is level at the correctelevation. Sometimes a bearing plate is placed on top of the grout whileit is still soft and is then tapped around the edges to make it level.Then an I beam is lowered and bolted to the anchor bolt. In mostinstances a chalk mark is placed on the anchor bolt marking theelevation point. There are a number of disadvantages to this technique.They are as follows:

(i) The nails are hard to drive in the concrete pier;

(ii) The nails may be knocked over;

(iii) The chalk mark on the bolt may wipe off; and

(iv) A wood form must be built between two elevation points to insurethat the grout fill is level.

The present invention eliminates these problems and also provides arigid collar around the anchor bolt upon which the bearing plate mayrest, if one is needed.

In using the present invention a correct elevation point using anelevation rod sighted by a transit instrument is easily achieved. Anelevation marker that cannot be removed without a wedge records inpermanent fashion the elevation point on the anchor bolt. Grout can thenbe poured flush to the top of the elevation marker in the absence of anywood form. A bearing plate can be lowered on top of the soft grout in alevel position without being further tapped around the edges to make itlevel thereby increasing the accuracy of setting an I beam on a concretepier.

I provide an elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising asplit resilient collar having projections at the split, the collarhaving an inside normal diameter smaller than the outside diameter ofthe anchor bolt, the inside surface of the collar having a plurality'ofvertically spaced ribs for gripping the anchor bolt.

I provide an elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising asplit resilient collar having projections at the split, the collarhaving an inside normal diameter smaller than the outside diameter ofthe anchor bolt, the inside surface of the collar having a plurality ofknife edge projections extending horizontally around the collar forgripping the anchor bolt.

I prefer-ably provide that the projections at the split extend from thecollar and have a top cam surface above the planar surface of the collarand that the projections 3 ,3 19,3 9 l Patented May 16, 1967 ice havealigned open ended transverse slots to receive a screed member having a.transverse slot thereby forming a blind halved .lap joint which closesthe diameter of the collar under compression.

In the foregoing description I have set outcertain objects, purposes andadvantages of my invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages willbe apparent from a consideration of the following description of thedrawings in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the marker;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the marker;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing two anchor bolts in a concretepier with twoelevation markers around the anchor bolts;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing two anchor bolts in a concretepier with two elevation markers around the anchor bolts and a pair ofhands smoothing out the grout fill;

FIGURE 5 is a side sectional view taken at line V-V in FIGURE 4 showingbolted I beam resting on a bearing plate;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the marker; and

FIGURE 7 is a side view'of the marker around the anchor bolt.

Referring to FIGURE 1 an anchor bolt elevation marker generally shown as10 has a collar 12 and a screed 14. The collar 12 has projections 16 and18 extending from the split 20. The collar 12 is made from steel whichis resilient. The top surfaces 22 and 24 of the projections 16 and 18respectively are on the same plane as the top surface 26 of the collar12. Space 28 is formed between the projections 16 and 18. The insidesurface of the collar 12 has vertically spaced ribs 30. Projections 16and 18 have open ended transverse slots 32 and 34 which are designed toreceive open ended transverse slot 36 in the screed 14. The open endedtransverse slots 32 and 34 are aligned to receive the open endedtransverse slot 36 of the screed 14. Projections 16 and 18 are pressedtogether closing the space 28 to enable the screed 14 to engage slots 32and 34 and form a blind halved lap joint 38 shown in FIGURE-.2. Theopposing force of the projections 16 and 18 holds the screed 14 in aperfect horizontal position shown in FIGURE 2. The force at the blindhalved joint 38 is caused by the spring action at the projections 16 and'18. Whenever screed 14 is engaged with projections 16 and 18, the spacein split 20 is narrowed and the space 28 between projections 16 and 18is narrowed.

Refer-ring to FIGURE 3 a concrete pier 40 is poured and while it isstill soft anchor bolts 42 are vertically inserted and spaced apart. Theanchor bolts 42 have threaded portions 44 and a smooth portion 46. Anelevation point must be sighted on the anchor bolt which will insure aproper elevation for an I beam designed to rest on the concrete pier 40and bolted to anchor bolts 42. In order to do this elevation marker 10is used. The normal inside diameter of collar 12 is smaller than theoutside diameter of the foundation anchor bolt 42. In order to get thecollar 12 on the bolt 42, a screw driver or the end of the screed 14used as a wedge can be inserted in the space 28 and twisted enlargingthe space 28 and at the same time increasing the inside diameter of thecollar 12 allowing it to be inserted over the foundation a'nchor bolt42. An elevation rod is some? times rested on top of the collar 12 untilthe correct elevation point is read on a transit instrument or thetransit instrument can sight the top of. the collar 12 .directly.Whenever the correct elevation point is read in the transit instrument,the wedge such as the screw driver or the end of screed 14 is removedand the vertical ribs 30 grip the foundation anchor bolt 42 with aspring like action. The ribs 30 work equally well on the threadedportion 44 of the anchor bolt 42 as on the smooth surface 46. The collarcannot be removed or jarred from its position without the insertion of awedge in space 28.

Projections 16 and 18 are compressed tightly to enable the screed 14 toengage its transverse open ended slot 36 with the two aligned 'openended transverse slots 32 and 34 forming a blind halved lap joint 38.The inserted screeds 14 on the two anchor bolts 42 are horizontallypositioned and kept in place by a force acting on the blind halved lapjoint 38. One of the purposes of the screeds 14 is to eliminate the needfor a wooden form which is used to hold grout fill 48 between the topsurfaces of the collar 12 land the top surface of the concrete pier 40.

Referring to FIGURE 4 screeds 14 eliminate the need for a wooden formand grout 48 is made flush with the top surface of the screed 14 and thecollar 12 of the elevation marker 10. A straight edge 50 easily insuresa formed level grout 48 fill at the proper elevation.

, Referring to FIGURE while the grout 48 on top of concrete pier 40 isstill soft a bearing plate 52 is sometimes lowered on top of screeds 14and collar 12. Then an I beam 54 is lowered on top of the bearing plate52 and bolted by anchor nuts 56. The presence of the elevation markercomprising collar 12 having projections 16 and 18 and a screed 14 allowsthe I beam 54 to be bolted and lowered into place while the grout 48 isstill soft.

Referring to FIGURE 6 the elevation marker shown generally as 58 is thesame as the elevation marker in FIGURE 1 except the ribs are replaced byknife edges 60 and 62 to provide the gripping surface needed.

Referring to FIGURE 7 an anchor bolt 42 is shown with an elevationmarker generally shown as 64 around the anchor bolt 42. The elevationmarker 64 has a collar 66 having the same characteristics as the collarin FIGURES 1 through 5. A pair of projections 68 extend from the collarhaving a cam surface 70 which is raised above the top planar surface 72of the collar 66. Whenever the anchor bolt 42 is placed into a concretepier, it is possible that the anchor bolt may tilt slightly off centerat an angle 74. The transit instrument always sights the elevation ofthe marker where the screed engages the open ended slots 76. The camsurface 70 will always be higher than the top surface 72 of the collar66. Therefore, after the correct elevation is sighted at point 78 at thetop of the cam surface 70, there will be no surface higher than the camsurface. This eliminates the possibility of having the top surface 72 ofthe collars 66 extend higher and above the elevation line 80 and therebygiving an improper elevation when the concrete is laid and a bearingplate is placed on top of the elevation marker 64 by having it rest onthe edge of the top surface 72.

While I have shown and described certain preferred methods andembodiments of my invention, it will be understood that this inventionmay be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising .a splitresilient collar having projections at the split extending from thecollar, the projections having a top cam surface extending above the topplanar surface of the collar and having aligned transverse slots openended at the top of the cam surface, the collar having an inside normaldiameter smaller than the outside diameter of the anchor bolt.

2. An elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising:

(a) A split resilient collar having projections at. the. split extendingfrom the collar, the projections having aligned open ended transverseslots, the inside surface of the collar having a plurality of ribsgripping the anchor bolt, the collar under tension urging the split toclose; and

(b) A screed member having an open ended transverse slot engaging theslots in the extended projections forming a blind halved lap joint whichurges the projections together under compression.

3. An elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising:

(a) A split resilient collar having projections at the split extendingfrom the collar, the projections hav ing a top cam surface extendingabove the top planar surface of the collar and having aligned transverseslots open ended at the top of the cam surface, the: collar undertension urging the split to close; and

(b) A screed member having an open ended transverse slot engaging theslots in the extended projections forming .a blind halved lap jointwhich urges the projections together under compression.

4. An elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising:

(a) A split resilient collar having spaced apart horizontal projectionsat the split extending from the collar, the projections having a top camsurface extending above the top planar surface of the collar and havingaligned transverse slots open ended at the top of the cam surface, theinside surface of the collar having a plurality of ribs gripping theanchor bolt, the collar under tension urging the split to close; and

(b) A screed member having an open ended. transverse slot engaging theslots in the extended projections forming a blind halved lap joint whichurges the projections together under compression, the top of the screedmember flush with the top of cam surface of the projections.

5. An elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising:

(a) A split resilient collar having projections at the split extendingfrom the collar, the projections having aligned open ended transverseslots, the inside surface of the collar having a knife edge gripping theanchor bolt, the collar under tension urging the split to close; and

(b) A screed member having an open ended transverse slot engaging theslots in the extended projections forming a blind halved lap joint whichurges the projections together under compression.

6. An elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt 2 comprising:

(a) A split resilient collar having projections .at the split extendingfrom the collar, the projections having aligned open ended transverseslots, the inside surface of the collar having vertical ribs spacedapart and gripping the anchor bolt, the collar under tension urging thesplit to close; and

(b) A screed member having an open ended transverse slot engaging theslots in the extended projections forming a blind halved lap joint whichurges the projections together under compression.

7. elevation marker for a foundation anchor bolt comprising:

(a) A split resilient collar having projections at the split extendingfrom the collar, the projections having aligned open ended transverseslots, the collar under tension urging the split to close; and

(b) A screed member having .an open ended transverse slot engaging theslots in the extended. projections forming a blind halved lap jointwhich urges the projections together under compression.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner2,523,785 9/ 1950 Sereno 287-49 X HOItZCHdOI'fi 452,886 5/1891 Lloyd1687.2

1,527,323 2/1925 Moore 5 FRANK ABBOTT, Primary Examm'er- 1,658,5352/1928 Neilson 52-638 X A. C. PERHAM, Assistant Examiner.

3. AN ELEVATION MARKER FOR A FOUNDATION ANCHOR BOLT COMPRISING: (A) ASPLIT RESILIENT COLLAR HAVING PROJECTIONS AT THE SPLIT EXTENDING FROMTHE COLLAR, THE PROJECTIONS HAVING A TOP CAM SURFACE EXTENDING ABOVE THETOP PLANAR SURFACE OF THE COLLAR AND HAVING ALIGNED TRANSVERSE SLOTSOPEN ENDED AT THE TOP OF THE CAM SURFACE, THE COLLAR UNDER TENSIONURGING THE SPLIT TO CLOSE; AND (B) A SCREED MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN ENDEDTRANSVERSE SLOT ENGAGING THE SLOTS IN THE EXTENDED PROJECTIONS FORMING ABLIND HALVED LAP JOINT WHICH URGES THE PROJECTIONS TOGETHER UNDERCOMPRESSION.